The 46th Hunger Games
by HungerFreaks
Summary: the point of view of the female tribute from District 11. Inroduction to her family, reaping, and good byes.


My grandmother, Emilia Kaufer Mason, was once put in these games. Her reaction to the restart of them was awful. She started hyperventilating and pacing and screaming at my mother, Ginger. My other grandmother, Annie started to squeeze her eyes and mumble things. My father, Angel Odair, began whispering in her ear to calm her.

Since then, Grandma Emmy wouldn't go anywhere near flowers, and Granny Annie would get into these hazes and scary rampages. Daddy (who was named Angel in memory of the fact that Grandpa was now watching over us) would be Granny Annie's shadow, soothing her in her ranting. Momma was in shock and held me, my older sister Bethahly, and younger brother Finnick.

We are all in the age range of the tributes. Finnick is 12, I am 14, and my sister Bethahly is 17. My brother is too young, my older sister is handicapped from an accident we had in the fields, and I am too cowardly to face the arena full of unknown things.

I have long ebony colored hair and dark eyes. I'm not too dark for someone who constantly farms. I'm limber and thin. I love climbing trees. It's my job in the fields since my sister couldn't after the accident. What happened to her was, as she was sitting in the tree to give out the call, she got bitten on the leg by a tracker jacker. It made her fall out the tree but she hung onto a branch. She whistled our traditional four note tune for help. When they got to her, her leg was swelled up. When we got her down, we called Sagittaria. She's famous for her magic healing hands. She gets into this trance where nothing distracts her from the most gruesome of jobs. She was so old, her skin was papery, yet it didn't keep her from her job. She'd extracted the venom from my sister's legs using some chewed up leaves.

"How did you know you had to that?" I'd asked curiously.

"My baby girl got stung by several of these and I tried a bunch of different things and she told me these helped most. When she chewed them, she said it took away all the pain," she'd explained with a smile and glistening eyes. After that I stayed silent.

My sister's leg didn't blow up and the venom had been extracted, but she remained paralyzed in that leg. After this the job was given to me. It's a pity to see my sister contained to the rusty chair she's in. Her hair is a brown color and she got a hint of dark green in her brown eyes. Her hair is a curly mess and she has dimples. She has darker skin than me. She got half of her characteristics from my mother and half from our father. I got all of them from my mom. Finnick is the one that got all characteristics from Daddy. The sea-green eyes and tousled light brown almost blonde color is exactly like Daddy's. His skin is very light and he has long eyelashes too. I couldn't let either of them be in the Games.

The morning of the reaping, I went with Katonah to get a pretty little dress from her shop. She will be in the reaping too. She's fifteen but has no family. Her little sister had gone to the woods where she got enticed away with following a mockingjay. She got lost and when Katonah's mother went looking for her, she found her dead. She was very small, about six, so when the tracker jacker bit her several times, she died quickly. After this her mother committed suicide in the fields. Her father had left to go to the district and was announced D.O.A a month later. She was the only one left. She made a living off of her little fabric shop.

"Hey, Asenath," she greeted me.

"Hi, Katonah, you ready?" I asked.

"I think that it's simple to be ready for me. Either I go and get taken and killed or go and win and come back to loneliness, or stay in loneliness. I think it's more accurate to ask you. Are you ready?" she said sympathetically. Her pain saddened me so much. She was right. Nothing was worse than the other.

"As ready as I can be," I said. She showed me the dress she made me. It was a beautiful light pinkish orange color. It was ruffled along the bottom which reached right under my knee. The sleeves were see through netted-like material and reached my elbow. It didn't hug my body but it wasn't puffy either. It was perfect. She topped it off by letting me borrow pearl colored flats and a pearl necklace. They weren't real but they had the same color. She also had me wear the earrings and a bracelet.

"You really don't have to do all this you know," I told her softly.

"Don't worry about it. It's what I do," she said.

I waited for her to change. While I waited I began thinking. How on earth was I going to get sponsors if I was chosen? Would I have the guts to volunteer for my siblings? If I was chosen, how would it affect Grandma and Granny? What about Daddy and Momma? What would it do to my brother and sister? I can only hope I don't get chosen.

Katonah came out and I was taken aback. She looked ravishing. A light blue fluffy, laced dress brought out her bright blue eyes and white heels made her a bit taller. Her hair was pulled back in an elegant but simple way.

"Let's go," she said simply. Katonah was a very cynical person. She didn't like showing emotions. She didn't accept compliments so I kept my mouth shut.

We filed in. One side was boys, the other side girls. Then we were divided by age group. I and Katonah ended up next to each other. The escort crossed the stage to the center. He had an orange wig that curled up at the ends and bright yellow tattoos on his face. Somehow the Capitol had made his eyebrows grow out enough to stretch them out and up so they were at least 5 inches longer than they should be. His cheeks were pulled back and you could see the cheek bone easily. He had a light up suit that was red and yellow boots. His nails were painted orange. "Welcome, children!" he began.

"The reaping for the forty-sixth Hunger Games will begin after this video!" he said enthusiastically. They showed the same footage again. The beginning of the Hunger Games and how the districts had rebelled and now we pay the price. I tuned out. I looked around. I've always an amiable personality. I had a lot of friends. As I looked around, I saw several of them, both boys and girls. I saw some of Bethahly's friends, and some of Finnick's. Then I saw Bethahly and Finnick. Could they be so cruel as to let a cripple and a small, innocent, young boy compete?

"Okay, then," he boomed in his deep voice. "Let's begin! First the ladies!" he winked. He moved his hand around the large glass jar and pulled out a paper. "Miss Bethahly Odair, our female tribute of District Eleven!" Silence. Katonah grabbed my hand. I heard gasps from parents and some of her friends, a quick shriek from a woman, the sobs of two old women, and something being hit. I didn't move. I didn't know what reaction would escape me. Then I heard two things. First my little brother beginning a prayer between trying to keep from crying, and Bethahly's chair creak and get stuck in a rock a few rows back. What kind of arena would she get sent to? A simple rock stopped her from going on how in the world was she to compete? No. I wouldn't allow it. I let go of Katonah and said as loud as I could, "I volunteer."

"Come on up sweetie," the escort told my sister. His smile displayed larger than ever. It was mocking to me. It seemed like a slap in the face. My anger began boiling up. Hadn't he heard me? Did he have no sympathy for this crippled girl about to be thrown to her merciless death? I was sick of the Capitol. I didn't care what anyone thought.

I pushed through the girls into the center and stared at the escort. That smile. That smile.

"I said I volunteer!" I yelled at him. More gasps, shrieks, and sobs. Bethahly's eyes widened.

"No," she said. "You can't. Don't worry for me, please, just get back in formation." She tried to turn the wheel chair toward me but it got stuck. My rage was threatening to go on full blast.

"No! A little rock stopped you from going forward! How are you going to go in there?" the escorts smile had become smaller but was still there. His hand was extended.

"Come on, sweet pea," he told my sister.

"I told you I volunteer!" I barked at him.

"Miss, volunteers are not called for until the reaped tribute is on stage," he told me firmly.

That did it. "Do you think I care? She's crippled and you obviously don't care! So shut your smiley face up and let her go back. I volunteer!" I was furious and shaking. It took every ounce of me to not go up there and slap him.

He was shocked. Surely these pampered Capitol brats weren't used to this. All eyes were on me. My eyes were on him. He was nervous. This was being aired live. Should he give in to me? Or should he send me to the Peacekeepers? He looked me up and down.

"All right, fine. What fun would a cripple do anyway," he said.

I walked onto the stage.

"Your name, sweet pea?" I looked out. Bethahly had to be taken back and my family was a mess. Finnick was trying so hard not to show emotion.

"Asenath Odair," I responded curtly

"Well then. And now, the gentlemen," he said perturbed. He went over to the glass jar with the boy names in it. He pulled out a paper. He opened it. He read it. I died.

"Finnick Odair!" another large smile. If I hadn't been knocked to my knees, I would have kicked him. Granny Annie screamed. Momma lunged forward and Daddy had to hold her back.

"No! Not my baby! Please! No!" she screamed. I started hyperventilating. Finnick was frozen. Then Azaezel stepped forward. His father gasped. Azaezel turned to him and stared at him. His father nodded. He started toward the stage.

"Azae-" I'd started

"I am Finnick Odair," he said loudly, cutting me off.

I was shocked. Azaezel has been my friend since we were toddlers. He's my best friend. Now he's pretending to be my little brother?

"Ah," the escort said. "Very good. I suppose she's your sister?" Azaezel's face hardened.

"Yes, sir."

"Hum, well it seems we will have an interesting game this year!" he said chuckling.

Azaezel helped me up. My family was staring in amazement. Finnick- the real one- was staring at Azaezel. Tears had flooded his eyes already.

"Ladies and gentlemen, our forty-sixth Hunger Games tributes from District Eleven!" the escort boomed. We were taken to a lounge. We both got a separate one. My first visit was of course my parents and my siblings.

Mom opened the door and hugged me instantly. I hugged her back. Daddy took my hand.

"Sweetie, please… be careful," she said with doubt. What else was I supposed to do? Finnick tapped my shoulder.

"Hey, sis," he said.

"I know, Finnick," I said and I hugged him. We both cried there.

"Why did he do it? Why, Asenath?"

"He knows how protective I am of you, Finnick."

"At least someone in the arena will be there to protect you," he said.

"Don't you dare tell him that. He has his life to think of as well," I told him. "Have you gone to thank him at least?"

"Yeesh, being taken away and still a nagger," he said. I hit him on head and half laughed, half cried. "Yeah, that was bad," he said guiltily. "Don't worry I'll be sure to."

"I love you, Finnick," I told him as I hugged him. He left to go tell Azaezel. Bethahly hadn't spoken. I looked at her. Her head was turned away. "Bethahly?"

She turned toward me. "You shouldn't have taken my place," she said. I was quiet. Was she really angry with me? "I can't let you go in there."

"I already am, Bethahly. Whether you like it or not, and it's to save you!"

"That's why I didn't want you to!" she yelled at me. "If you die," she started, "I'm going to feel guilty and angry with myself for my whole life! I would rather go in myself than have you enter and risk it because of me," she said. Oh. It made sense now. That's why she wanted me to go back. How could she live with that?

I felt something stir in me. Something powerful and I told her, "I promise you, I will win," and I hugged her.

In my ear she told me a simple sentence that brought my power down, "You don't have the strength to kill Azaezel, or any other kid." I let go of her. "You saw the kid from District 1. You broke down the second you saw he was reaped. You won't have the heart to kill him." She turned her wheel chair smoothly and left.

Mom and Dad looked at me. "Tell her I love her too," I told them.

They nodded and hugged me. "We love you, baby," Dad said.

"I love you too, Daddy. Mommy, I promise I will do my best. But please watch over them."

"Oh, Asenath. You've always been so protective of them," my mom smiled at me. She kissed me on the cheek and left. Dad gave me his jacket and hugged me. Then he left.

My next guests were Granny Annie and Grandma Emmy. We sat in silence. At least me and Grandma Emmy did. Granny Annie was in a haze again. Ten seconds before their time was up, she snapped out of it.

"Listen, Asenath, you have to do your best. For everyone you hold dear. I know how awful these games are. I've gone through them. But you are strong, wise, and able. You can make it. Just focus. I love you," Granny Annie said.

"I love you too, Granny," I said. Grandma Emmy kissed me on the cheek. She looked at me, and with her eyes she told me everything she needed to. I needed to be strong and think about things. I needed to win. No matter what, I had to come back home. I wiped a tear from her eye. "I love you, Grandma Emmy."

"I love you, too, love," she said. She and Granny Annie left together.

Next came Katonah. Tears streaked her face and were still leaving her eyes.

"You idiot, how could you leave me alone," she said through sobs. I'd forgotten that she was like a sister for me. I was leaving her, too. Crap.

"I'm so sorry," I told her. She hugged me.

"I know. You did it for your sister. You are the least selfish person I've ever known. I love you. Please come back. I'll do what I can to help you in there," she told me.

"You're complimenting me?" I said shocked. She rolled her eyes.

"Oh stop it!" I laughed. "I'm going to miss you, Asenath. And by the way, you look beautiful," she told me.

"I love you too. You're my best friend. Help my family please. See them as yours too. I'll miss you." She gave me a piece of light green cloth and left. Finally I was taken to the train.


End file.
